CHILDREN from Belarus, still affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster have visited an Irvine opticians.

A group of 10 youngsters visited Specsavers in the Rivergate mall, along with an interpreter, and each received a free eye examination from the team in store.

The children live in an area still affected by the 1986 explosion and were in Scotland on a recuperative four-week holiday, organised by the charity Chernobyl Children’s Life Line.

The organisation aims to improve the health and wellbeing of children still suffering from the aftermath of the disaster.

The visits, during which the children stay with local families, are said to boost their immune systems for at least two years, helping them to resist or recover from serious illness.

Specsavers store director Gillian Syme, says: ‘We are always delighted to welcome visiting groups into the store and it was a fantastic experience seeing our opticians carry out eye examinations on all of the visiting youngsters ensuring their eye health is in tip top condition.

‘Having the correct eyecare can greatly improve quality of life and education. We often take access to eyecare for granted in this country, but sadly many of these children don’t get the treatment they need. It was a pleasure to be able to help and it was fantastic to see their reactions to their new glasses.’

Read more about Chernobyl Children’s Life Line here: https://www.facebook.com/CCLLFife.